Podcast Episode #16: Material Matters, Cut and Fill
May 5, 2026
Explore how early cut and fill strategy, sequencing and on‑site material management shape cost, programme and environmental outcomes on development projects.
Brookbanks Cardiff Office Launch
Brookbanks has expanded its local presence with a new Cardiff office, bringing multidisciplinary planning, engineering and development expertise to support projects across Wales and the UK. With strengthened capabilities in acoustics, SuDS, civil engineering and environmental services, our Cardiff‑based team provides integrated, practical solutions aligned with Welsh planning policy and technical approvals.
Strengthening Our Local Presence: Introducing Our Cardiff Office and New Team Members
We’re pleased to share more about our expanding presence in Wales and the continued growth of our Cardiff office. Establishing a base in the heart of the capital reinforces our commitment to supporting clients across Wales and the wider UK with integrated planning, engineering and development services. Being based locally enables us to work more closely with planning authorities, SABs, statutory stakeholders and delivery partners, giving our clients responsive, well‑informed advice backed by national expertise.
Welcoming New Expertise to Cardiff
Our Cardiff office at Harcourt House, 15 St Andrews Crescent, is led by Director Andrew Wilkinson, who brings more than 25 years’ experience delivering projects across Wales. Alongside Andrew, we’re delighted to welcome new colleagues whose specialist skills strengthen the multidisciplinary offering available through our Cardiff office.
Tom Quaife‑Jones
Tom joins us with 13 years’ experience in building and environmental acoustics across sectors such as education, performing arts, leisure, heritage, healthcare, residential, commercial and industrial development. Formerly leading Stantec’s acoustics capability in Wales, Tom brings significant local knowledge and technical strength.
His arrival establishes a dedicated in‑house acoustics service within Brookbanks, enhancing the coordinated advice we provide across planning, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), outline design and technical approvals. By integrating acoustic assessments within our wider multidisciplinary workflows, Tom will help clients further reduce project risk, streamline the planning process and ensure compliance with Welsh and UK guidance.
Callum Parker
Callum brings 19 years of experience in SuDS design, surface water management, drainage strategy and civil engineering. His strong background in SAB approvals, now embedded in Welsh legislation, adds valuable insight for clients navigating Wales’ leading approach to sustainable drainage.
Based in Cardiff, Callum strengthens our ability to deliver robust, compliant and cost‑effective water management solutions. He also contributes to the ongoing professional development of our junior engineers, helping embed high‑quality SuDS and drainage expertise within our local team.
A Whole‑Company Offer, Now Locally Accessible
When you work with any of us, you gain access to the full breadth of our national expertise, from planning and development strategy through to engineering design, environmental services, commercial support and delivery management.
Our integrated way of working ensures that all disciplines collaborate seamlessly, providing clients with coordinated advice, clear communication and robust solutions from concept through to implementation. No matter the scale or complexity of a project, our approach brings together the right skills at the right time to support successful outcomes.
We support projects across a wide range of sectors including residential, mixed‑use, logistics, commercial, healthcare, education, leisure, retail, care and renewables, always adapting our multidisciplinary capability to the unique needs of each site and client.
Why Local Expertise Matters for Development in Wales
Many Welsh schemes face challenges linked to flood risk, drainage capacity, transport access, utilities planning and ground conditions. As Wales’ planning and regulatory landscape continues to evolve, our Cardiff team is well-positioned to support all those working within it.
We draw on both local knowledge and national experience to develop practical strategies that:
- Address risks early
- Reduce planning uncertainty
- Support timely statutory approvals
- Keep programmes moving
Working directly with local authorities and SABson the ground, allows us to ensure our advice reflects the specific expectations and technical requirements of Welsh planning system, providing joined‑up support across:
- Flood risk assessment
- Drainage and utilities strategies
- Nutrient neutrality
- Outline infrastructure design
- Ground conditions
- Transport planning
- Air quality
- Acoustics
- Sustainability
This coordinated approach ensures development proposals are resilient, deliverable and aligned with Welsh planning policy from the outset.
What This Looks Like in Practice: Multi‑Sector Experience Across Wales
Our previous work across Wales demonstrates the breadth of our capability and the value of early, integrated input.
Education: Bridgend College
We provided civil and structural engineering for the £50m town‑centre campus, delivering a robust design over challenging ground conditions and achieving £750k of structural savings at RIBA Stage 3. The project highlights the benefits of early engineering involvement in maximising social value, managing risk and supporting complex regeneration sites.
Read more about Bridgend College here.
Healthcare
Our team supports Health Boards and care providers across Wales with civil, structural and M&E design solutions tailored to safety‑critical environments and operational requirements.
Communities, Housing and Enabling Infrastructure
We work alongside land promoters, housebuilders, local authorities and housing associations to unlock sites through practical solutions spanning remediation, utilities, nutrient neutrality, SuDS, flood risk and infrastructure planning.
Logistics and Industrial
Our experience includes supporting developers in Wales and delivering major logistics schemes such as Bridgwater RDC, where we integrated sustainable technologies and coordinated complex infrastructure, highly relevant to advanced manufacturing and distribution projects across Wales.
Read more about our work on Bridgwater RDC here.
Renewables
We continue to support solar, wind and tidal developers contributing to Wales’ decarbonisation ambitions, providing multidisciplinary input across feasibility, planning and delivery.
Here to Support the Future of Development in Wales
Together with our growing local team and national network, we are committed to helping shape sustainable, deliverable and high-quality development across the region.
Whether you’re progressing a town‑centre regeneration scheme, a school or campus project, a renewable energy development, a strategic housing site or an industrial/logistics facility, we’d welcome the opportunity to work with you early, helping you navigate approvals, reduce risk and achieve successful outcomes.
Director
Andrew Wilkinson
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Associate Director for Hydrology
Callum Parker
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Director of Acoustics
Tom Quaife-Jones
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Mitigating the Impact of Global Uncertainty
April 30, 2026
Rising geopolitical tension does not affect development viability in isolation, but through increasing pressure on energy prices, supply chains and the cost of energy‑intensive materials. Where schemes are progressed on assumptions made under more stable conditions, these pressures can quickly challenge margins, appraisals and deliverability, particularly in a flat housing market. Our article looks at how developers can respond to build cost volatility in a more informed and proportionate way. Drawing on our specialists' experience, it explores how early coordination, design‑led value engineering and integrated decision‑making can help manage cost risk, protect scheme viability and avoid short‑term measures that compromise long‑term quality and value.
Our April 2026 Newsletter
April 27, 2026
Welcome to our April 2026 newsletter. In this month's Brookbanks newsletter, learn more about how high-rise developments can be made more deliverable, with guidance on how you can reduce risk and protect viability. We're also looking back on our April webinar, where Annabel Le Lohe and Katherine Peers gave a rundown of Environmental Impact Assessments and how coordination can make a real impact on project delivery. Plus, there's a recap of this month's podcasts featuring two special guests. Paul Smith, Managing Director at The Strategic Land Group, and Tom Park, Associate Development Director at Caddick Developments. Also, find out which members of our team will be at UKREiiF as well as more about the CPD event we're co-hosting with the LPDF in May.